The document is a social media handbook for the United States Army. It provides guidance on using social media for soldiers and army personnel. It emphasizes maintaining operational security and not sharing sensitive information online. The handbook also outlines standards for army leaders on social media and provides checklists for establishing an official social media presence and handling crisis communications through social media.
4. lETTER fRom THE cHiEf
of Public AffAiRs
Social media handbook
team- i advise you to embrace social media, read through
the regulations at the back of this handbook and
You already know that communicating your orga-
develop a strong fundamental knowledge of these
nization‘s messages is important . today, it takes
[ ii ] more than press releases to successfully com-
tools .
municate . Being an effective army communicator I asked the experts in my Online and Social Me-
today relies on proactive planning, nesting mes- dia division to create this handbook to help you
The UniTed STaTeS army
sages, engaging audiences on a variety of plat- use these tools as effectively as possible . if you
forms, monitoring what is being said both online have any questions, contact them at ocpa .osmd@
and in traditional media, and taking a proactive us .army .mil . Stay abreast of the latest things going
role in telling the army‘s story . on in social media by subscribing to our weekly
Social Media Roundup‘ by sending a request to
as part of that, we need to make sure we use all
that e-mail address .
the tools at our disposal to keep our Soldiers and
the general public informed . Our Soldiers and their Family members are the
strength of our nation . nine years of persistent
Social media is another set of tools that helps us
conflict have shaped our shared experiences,
spread the army message faster than ever . these
which can be told through the social media plat-
tools not only help us to respond to a 24-hour news
forms to assist those new to our army Fam-
cycle, but also help us lead conversations and par-
ily . this builds resiliency in the force and makes
ticipate in the stories . By reaching out to the online
our army strong . Soldiers have always been
community, we’re able to be where more and more
and always will be our greatest story tellers,
people get their news, and by doing so, we’re bet-
and social media tools allow us to tell their story
ter serving our warfighters.
more effectively .
Social media is a powerful communication
Best of luck as you push forward with your social
tool, but it goes beyond just using the tools . it
media endeavors .
is important to understand the tools and their
overwhelming benefits and sometimes danger- StePhen R . lanZa
ous ramifications. It is also important to develop a Major general, USa
strategy and execute that strategy while keeping chief of Public affairs
operations security in mind .
5. sociAl mEDiA summARy
maintained by organizations and individuals within
the army Family . the army understands the risks
associated social media and has worked hard to
The UniTed STaTeS army
develop training to help Soldiers and family mem-
bers use social media responsibly .
WHy usE sociAl mEDiA?
WHAT is sociAl mEDiA? Soldiers have always been the army’s best and
Social media represents a shift in the way we as most effective messengers . today, army social
a culture communicate . By using internet-based media enables the army Family around town,
platforms like Facebook, twitter, Flickr and You- around the country and around the world to stay
tube, social media provides new ways to connect, connected and spread the army’s key themes and
interact and learn . People no longer look for the messages . every time a member of the army Fam-
news, the news find them. And in the world of so- ily joins army social media, it increases the timely
cial media, the perception of truth can be just as and transparent dissemination of information . it
ensures that the army’s story is shared honestly
powerful as the truth itself . the internet moves [1]
information quickly, whether for good or bad . So- and directly to americans where they are and
cial media, with a variety of available platforms, whenever they want to see, read or hear it . So-
Social media handbook
can instantaneously connect users within a global cial media allows every Soldier to be a part of the
network, making the transfer of information even army story . By starting a discussion on Facebook,
more pervasive . today, social media is so wide- or commenting on a Soldier’s story on a blog, all
spread and transparent that you may already be Soldiers can contribute to the army story . Social
involved even if you are not actively participating . media is a cheap, effective and measurable form
Social media is highly effective tool to use when of communication . the army uses social media to
reaching out to large communities and audiences . tell the army’s story, but it also uses social media
But with this substantial ability to connect with to listen .
the masses, comes risks . Using social media to WHAT DoEs THE DoD sAy AbouT
spread information is becoming the standard . More
sociAl mEDiA?
and more units are using social media to commu-
nicate, so it’s more important that ever to under- On February 25, 2010, the dod issued a
stand the risks associated with using the various directive-type Memorandum (dtM) providing
platforms . guidelines for military use of social media and
acknowledged “that internet-based capabilities are
ARmy sociAl mEDiA
integral to operations across the department of
the army recognizes that social media has the defense .” dtM 09-026 Responsible and effective
ability to communicate with larger audiences fast- Use of internet-based capabilities outlined how the
er and in new ways . it has become an important NIPRNET should be configured to allow access to
tool for army messaging and outreach . the army internet-based capabilities across all dod compo-
uses a variety of social media platforms designed nents . all service branches are using social media
to support a range of media from text, audio, pic- at different levels, but this dtM clearly indicates
tures and videos; all of which is generated and that use of social media in the dod is authorized .
6. HEADERmEDiA foR solDiERs
sociAl TEXT
AnD ARmy PERsonnEl
Our adversaries are trolling social networks, blogs and forums, trying to find sensitive infor-
mation they can use about our military goals and objectives . therefore, it is imperative that
all Soldiers and Family members understand the importance of practicing good operations
security measures .
-Sgt . Maj . of the army Kenneth O . Preston
Social media handbook
oPsEc AWAREnEss subject to UcMJ even when off duty, so talking
negatively about supervisors, or releasing sensi-
the primary concern when using social media is
tive information is punishable under the UcMJ . it’s
maintaining operations security . it’s important to
important that all Soldiers know that once they log
know that social media is a quickly evolving means
on to a social media platform, they still represent
of distributing information and that means OPSec
the army .
is more important than ever before . all army lead-
ers should communicate with their Soldiers about mAinTAininG oPsEc
the risks of using social media and incorporate so- Sharing what seems to be even trivial information
cial media into their regular OPSec training . online can be dangerous to loved ones and the
[2] JoininG sociAl nETWoRKs fellow Soldiers in the unit — and may even get
them killed . america’s enemies scour blogs, fo-
Soldiers will naturally seek out involvement in
rums, chat rooms and personal websites to piece
social media platforms if they haven’t already .
The UniTed STaTeS army
together information that can be used to harm the
Social media helps individuals with similar in-
United States and its Soldiers . the adversary —
terests connect and interact . Soldiers are au-
al Qaeda and domestic terrorists and criminals for
thorized to use and belong to a variety of social
instance — have made it clear they are looking .
media platforms as long as their involvement does
not violate unit policy and the basic guidelines of When using social media, avoid mentioning rank,
the Uniform code of Military Justice . unit locations, deployment dates, names, or equip-
ment specifications and capabilities.
lAy ouT THE GuiDElinEs
GEoTAGGinG AnD locATion-
leaders must engage their Soldiers on social me-
bAsED sociAl nETWoRKinG
dia use . all leaders must communicate social me-
dia expectations with their Soldiers. It is important the army is always working to protect itself
to outline unit policy and make sure all Soldiers against security breaches, but with new technolo-
know what they can and cannot do when using gies come new risks . today, more than ever, it is
various social media platforms . vitally important that army leaders, Soldiers and
army civilians understand what kind of data they
folloW THE ucmJ
are broadcasting and what they can do to protect
Soldiers using social media must abide by the themselves and their families . geotagging photos
Uniform code of Military Justice at all times . com- and using location-based social networking ap-
menting, posting, or linking to material that violates plications is growing in popularity, but in certain
the UcMJ or basic rules of Soldier conduct is pro- situations, exposing specific geographical location
hibited . Social media provides the opportunity for can be devastating to army operations . Soldiers
Soldiers to speak freely about what they’re up to should never tag photos with geographical location
or what their interests are . however, Soldiers are when loading to photo sharing sites like Flickr and
7. The UniTed STaTeS army
Members of the Army Family are experiencing a special time in their lives. They
have a lot to share with Family, friends and others. Social media is an opportunity
to instantly reach out and connect regardless of time, space or distance. The Army
[3]
encourages members of the Army Family to use social media to connect and tell their
stories, but it also advises everyone to do this in a safe and secure manner.
Social media handbook
Picasa . Soldiers should not use location-based sEcuRiTy iTEms To consiDER
social networking applications when deployed, at
take a close look at all privacy settings . Set secu-
training or while on duty at locations where pre-
rity options to allow visibility to “friends only .”
senting exact grid coordinates could damage Army
operations . While Soldiers are engaged in army do not reveal sensitive information about yourself
such as schedules and event locations .
operations, they should turn off the gPS function
of their smartphones . Failure to do so could result ask, “What could the wrong person do with this
in damage to the mission and may even put fami- information?” and “could it compromise the safety
lies at risk . of myself, my family or my unit?”
Do noT ViolATE coPyRiGHT geotagging is a feature that reveals your location
AnD TRADEmARK to other people within your network . consider turn-
ing off the gPS function of your smartphone .
Soldiers cannot include any copyrighted or trade-
closely review photos before they go online . Make
marked material on their social media platforms .
sure they do not give away sensitive information
this includes embedding a song, or linking to un-
which could be dangerous if released .
attributed artwork. Social media platforms exist to
help individuals connect and express their person- Make sure to talk to family about operations secu-
alities, but this should be done without using copy- rity and what can and cannot be posted .
righted material unless they are authorized to do videos can go viral quickly, make sure they don’t
so by the copyright or trademark owner . give away sensitive information .
8. sociAl mEDiA sTAnDARDs
foR ARmy lEADERs
sociAl mEDiA foR lEADERs lEADER conDucT onlinE
Social media has improved the way we connect When in a position of leadership, conduct on-
and communicate as a culture, but it presents line should be professional . By using social me-
some interesting dilemmas for army leaders . dia, leaders are essentially providing a perma-
nent record of what they say, so, if you wouldn’t
onlinE RElATionsHiPs
Social media handbook
say it in front of a formation, don’t say it online .
Social media is about connecting, so it’s only if a leader comes across evidence of a Soldier
natural that army leaders may interact and violating command policy or the UcMJ on social
function in the same social media spaces as their media platforms, then that leader should respond
subordinates . how they connect and interact with in the same manner they would if they witnessed
their subordinates online is up to their discretion, the infraction in any other environment .
but it is advised that the online relationship func-
sElf PRomoTion
tion in the same manner as the professional rela-
tionship . Using rank, job, and/or responsibilities in order to
promote oneself online for personal or financial
sHoulD solDiERs “folloW”
gain is not appropriate . Such actions can damage
THosE in THEiR commAnD?
the image of the army and an individual command .
this is also left to the discretion of the army lead-
[4] PAiD submissions
er . Ultimately, it depends on how that leader uses
social media . if the leader is using social media treat requests from non-governmental blogs for a
as a way to receive command and unit informa- blog post as a media request and coordinate with
The UniTed STaTeS army
tion along with installation updates, then following your public affairs officer. It is against Army regula-
members in a leader’s command is appropriate . tions to accept compensation for such posts .
But if the leader is using social media as a way to
PoliTicAl DiscouRsE
keep in touch with family and friends, it may not
make sense to follow people in the leader’s chain everything a leader says and does is more visible
of command . and taken more seriously . leaders have a greater
responsibility to speak respectfully and intelligently
about issues they don’t intend to reflect on a com-
mand or the army .
9. The UniTed STaTeS army
cHEcKlisT foR oPERATions sEcuRiTy foR officiAl PAGEs
Designate members of your team responsible for posting content to the official online presence
and make sure those individuals are current on all OPSec training .
Make sure all content is submitted to and approved by the commander or the organization’s
release authority .
Make sure all content is posted in accordance with organization Public affairs guidance and [5]
army regulations .
Monitor your social media presence and make sure external social media users are not posting
Social media handbook
sensitive information on your official presence. Monitor your Facebook wall and comments
posted to your Youtube, Flickr and Blog presences .
Produce training materials and conduct regular social media OPSec training within your team
and with other units in your organization .
distribute social media OPSec training to the families of your Soldiers . it’s important to keep
them just as informed and up-to-date as the Soldiers in your unit .
Be vigilant . never become complacent when it comes to OPSec . check social media presences
within your organization for OPSec violations . never stop working to protect OPSec . Once the
information is out there, you can’t get it back .
mAKinG DAnGERous sociAl mEDiA PosTs sAfER
dangerous Safer
My Soldier is in XYZ at aBc camp in aBc city, My Soldier is deployed to afghanistan .
afghanistan .
My Soldier will be leaving Kuwait and heading to My Soldier deployed this week .
iraq in three days .
My Soldier is coming back at XYZ time on XYZ My Soldier will be home this summer .
day .
My family is back in edwardsville, il . i’m from the Midwest .
10. EsTAblisHinG AnD mAinTAininG ARmy
sociAl mEDiA PREsEncEs
mAnAGinG A sociAl mEDiA benefits. Once a site is approved, it appears on
PREsEncE the army social media directory . ads that appear
on Facebook are also re-moved from official Army
today, the army understands that social media has
Facebook presences . Registration ensures that
increased the speed and transparency of informa-
a command presences are included in any USg/
tion . it‘s determining which events make the news
DoD Terms of Service (ToS) Agreements. Official
and it‘s setting agendas . More and more army orga-
use of social media platforms must be in com-
nizations are using social media for strategic online
Social media handbook
pliance with army public affairs policy . content
engagement . Social media is used in garrison envi-
posted to an official social media presence must
ronments, operational environments and in Family
be either already in the public domain or must be
Readiness groups . developing a successful social
approved for release by the commanding officer.
media presence does not happen over-night . it is a
commands are ultimately responsible for content
detailed process that requires extensive planning
posted on their platforms .
and detailed execution. It all starts with stating the
missions, messages and themes of an organiza- mEAsuREmEnT
tion . Just 10 years ago, the success and reach of a
DEVEloPinG A sTRATEGy news story could be measured by the size of a
newspaper‘s circulation or the number of clicks
Once the direction of an organization is estab-
on a website . today, measurement is about more
lished, it‘s then possible to develop a social me-
than just numbers . it‘s about trends and human
[6] dia communication strategy . this strategy must be
feedback . Social media sites like Facebook, twit-
detailed and provide input into all the social media
ter, Flickr and Youtube allow for administrators to
platforms supported by an organization . language
The UniTed STaTeS army
track views, impressions and comments . Many
should be conversational, fun and engaging . ask-
sites provide their own analytics tools . By using
ing questions is a good way to get people involved
numbers in conjunction with comments and read-
and en-courage them to comment . the purpose
er feedback, it‘s now easier than ever to deter-
of using social media platforms is to place your
units messages in the social media space . Units
should want to find a balance that keeps people
coming back to the pages, but also gets the mes-
sage out. This can be accomplished by mixing
the doses of messages with items the audience
may find interesting. In today‘s modernizing Army
environment, social media plays an increasingly
important role . Social media is not a fad, if the
army ignores it, it will not go away .
REGisTRATion
DTM 09-026 requires that all official social media
presences be registered with the dod . Since so-
cial media use is so prevalent in today‘s society,
it‘s important to register and indicate that the pres-
ence is official. To register a social media presence
with the army, social media managers should visit:
www .army .mil/socialmedia/ . Registering on the
army‘s social media directory also provides other
11. mine how organizational messages are received maintaining a successful social media presence or
and how the audience is responding to the con- an irrelevant one .
tent . nearly all of the most popular social media
miX iT uP
platforms offer analytics tools for users . Some of
these tools provide graphs and charts, but it ulti- Balance the “fun” with the “medicine .” it‘s impor-
mately depends on the platform . the different rep- tant to put out command messages and organiza-
resentations of information make for a richer and tional information, but it‘s also good to keep the
more depth statistical analysis . Using the analyt- page entertaining enough for people to want to fol-
ics tools of each platform can help a unit demon- low it . don‘t be afraid to have fun by posting inter-
strate the usefulness of a social media platform, esting links or asking trivia questions . try posting
and even highlight the success of a specific social a photo of the day, or asking a weekly question .
The UniTed STaTeS army
media campaign . Social media is social, so it‘s important that social
media managers don‘t fall into the trap of talking at
EnfoRcE PosTinG Policy their audience .
AnD moniToR commEnTs
AnsWER QuEsTions
it‘s good to have a posting policy, but just because
a posting policy is in place doesn‘t mean everyone Social media communities grow quickly, so it‘s
is going to follow it . Make sure to review wall posts important to note that once a social media pres-
frequently and remove posts that violate the post- ence grows to a certain size, the population
ing policy . Keep in mind that social media doesn‘t will use it as a resource and possibly ask ques-
take a break for the weekend . in some in-stances, tions . it‘s important to spend time responding to
weekend activity on Facebook can be busier than questions asked in social media platforms . the
the week, so watch the organization’s wall every community will value this interaction and the
day, even on days off, holidays and weekends . one-on-one conversations will show the commu- [7]
nity that their voices are being heard .
EnGAGE THE AuDiEncE
Social media handbook
Social media is more than just a plat-form to push
command messages, it‘s a social community .
Platforms like Facebook and twitter, help people
bridge enormous geographical gaps to connect,
talk and interact . Using social media can be in-
credibly valuable to a communication strategy, but
it needs to be more than just a sounding board for
organization messages . it‘s important to use social
media to facilitate the conversation, engage the
population and keep people interested in what‘s
being discussed .
lisTEn To THE AuDiEncE
By watching the wall on a Facebook site, or
by reading the comments on a blog post, so-
cial media managers can get a feel for what the
online community wants to hear about . Some-
times, it‘s useful to talk to an audience directly .
ask for feedback and suggestions, and then act
on that feedback . a social media presence ac-
complishes very little if the online audience is
not interested in what‘s being said . listening to
an audience can mean the difference between
12. usinG sociAl mEDiA foR
cRisis communicATions
Social media handbook
PRomoTE oRGAniZATionAl cRisis mAnAGEmEnT
sociAl mEDiA PREsEncEs Using social media to communicate with stake-
it‘s important to tell the social media community holders during a crisis has proven to be an espe-
that you‘re out there . at-tach links to social media cially effective due to its speed, reach and direct
[8] platforms at the bottom of press releases and after access . in recent crisis, social media has helped
official emails from your office. The more you get distribute command information to key audiences
the word about out a social media presence, the and media while also providing a means for dia-
The UniTed STaTeS army
faster the community that follows it will grow . logue among the affected and interested parties .
PosT conTEnT To sociAl mEDiA you cAn’T foRcE TRusT
PlATfoRms ofTEn the best course of action is to leverage already
a static social media presence is ineffective . existing social presences. It is important to have a
Static pages are boring and visitors to the page regularly updated channel of communication open
between the organization and the key audiences
lose interest quickly . if content on the page
before the crisis hits so they not only know where
is not regularly updated, people will stop com-
to find you online, but know that they can trust the
ing by to view the page . carefully select links to
information they get .
stories, unit videos and photos related to the or-
ganization’s mission . Social media platforms are moniToR conTEnT PosTED by
designed to support various forms of content, take usERs
advantage of that . Once information is cleared by Monitor social media sites so the command un-
a release authority, post it . Social media moves derstands what information the users need . Staff
information quicker than ever, so don‘t wait for a appropriately to answer questions as best as pos-
press release . if the information is there, use it . sible and ensure that your audience knows the
builD A communiTy organization is listening to them and are actively
engaged in the crisis .
a large social media following doesn‘t happen
over night, so relax and execute the social media PosT clEARED infoRmATion
strategy . the better an organization is at provid-
As iT comEs in
ing good information and engaging its social media When a crisis hits, there’s no need to wait for a
audience, the faster the following will grow . formal press release . When you have solid infor-
13. The UniTed STaTeS army
sHARE infoRmATion
Share critical information with a network of
trusted social media sites, such as other army
mation that an organization’s audiences want to command sites, government and official non-
know, post it . if the organization needs to put out governmental sites like the american Red cross .
updated information at a later time be sure to post the social media community is large and it’s pos-
it as well, but playing it too cautious and waiting for sible to reach a lot of people through an extended
everything to play out will damage the organiza- network in the social media space .
tion’s credibility
EncouRAGE PEoPlE on THE
usE mobilE DEVicEs scEnE To sEnD info [9]
Keep your social presences up to date by using Organizations can do this by having individuals
Social media handbook
mobile devices . the myriad of mobile devices on the scene ether use their personal accounts or
available today allow you to update social sites feed you information to post on the official com-
without being tied to your computer at a desk . cri- mand social sites . no matter how the information
sis happen all the time, so be prepared . Whether is submitted, the command site should promote
the installation is on lock-down, you’re waiting out this content when appropriate .
a storm, or you’re at a remote site at the scene,
PRomoTE sociAl mEDiA
mobile devices allow you to share quick updates
PREsEncEs
immediately . Make sure to ensure your mobile
devices are continuously charged . Be creative in Make sure to advertise the organization’s social
finding power solutions that work for your situation. media presences on out-going press releases,
e-mail signatures, links on the home page and in
AnsWER QuEsTions conversations with reporters . the social media
answer questions as often as possible . avoid just presence isn’t helpful if people don’t know about
posting information on a social media presence . it, so the organization should be aggressive when
Be prepared to receive questions . Respond back sending out information . Make sure the public
as quickly as possible through the most appropri- knows that the organization’s social media pres-
ate means of communication . ences are a good resource for information .
moniToR conVERsATions AnAlyZE REsulTs
listen to what the audience is talking about and be Once the crisis is over, analyze what happened .
prepared to engage . this is the best way to stop evaluate metrics and track user feedback . it’s im-
rumors before they run rampant . Use search en- portant to evaluate how a social media presence
gines and other monitoring tools to track discus- performs during a crisis so adjustments can be
sion on the topic . made for the future .
14. cHEcKlisTs foR EsTAblisHinG
An officiAl sociAl mEDiA PREsEncE
PRiOR tO eStaBliShing an OFFicial SOcial Media PReSence, cOnSideR theSe iteMS
study Army social media policy and read Army resources - Before you get started with so-
cial media, it‘s important to understand army social media policy . army social media resources
can be found at: www .slideshare .net/usarmysocialmedia .
Social media handbook
Determine your goals - What do you want to achieve/communicate? it could include distributing
command information, connecting to a community, building espirit de corps, etc .
Determine your audience - identify the audience you intend to communicate with . this can in-
clude Soldiers, army Families, veterans, civilians and the general public . don‘t forget, your audi-
ence will also include stakeholders, politicians, community leaders and adversaries or enemies .
Research and select social media platforms - identify the social media platforms that will be
[ 10 ] suit the needs of your organization . not all plat-forms will work for some organizations, so make
sure you understand what can be achieved with each platform . look at what other organizations
are doing to get ideas .
The UniTed STaTeS army
select your name and branding - Read the army‘s SOP for naming social media platforms .
the SOP provides detailed naming and branding procedures . check out this site for more: www .
usarmybrandportal .com .
Draft content strategy - after identifying your audiences, selecting the platforms and approving
branding, begin drafting a posting strategy. This helps refine your organization‘s social media
goals. For an example of a social media strategy, go to this website: http://slideshare/hlovpN
Determine site management strategy - identify social media managers on your team . Make
sure contingency plans are in place to allow for other members to fill in on established duties if
necessary .
Develop policies and training - the social media team is responsible for developing organiza-
tion-specific social media policies to include posting and commenting policies. Also make sure
to develop training materials to help educate and train individuals in your command about social
media and its uses . to view the army‘s social media training resource, visit: www .slideshare .net/
USarmySocialMedia .
15. ReQUiReMentS FOR an OFFicial PUBlic Facing cOMMand SOcial Media PReSence
(thiS MeanS a PUBlic Site, nOt One Behind a FiReWall)
Commanding officer or Public Affairs Officer approval - a presence must be approved by the
release authority before it can be registered. Delegation of Authority-Approval of External Official
Presences: http://slideshare/chQWas
The UniTed STaTeS army
the point of contact must include a valid .mil address when submitting for approval
The presence must have a URL to an official Army website - Your command‘s website or the
army .mil if your organization does not have a website
The presence must post disclaimer text - The disclaimer identifies the page as an official Army
social media presence and disclaims any endorsement. An example can be found here: http://
on .fb .me/eulvUR .
The presence must be clearly identified as “official” - Site must identify that the presence is ― [ 11 ]
official‖ somewhere on the page. An example can be found in the left-hand column of the Army‘s
Facebook page: www .facebook .com/USarmy .
Social media handbook
The presence must be unlocked and open to the public - this mostly applies to twitter, but
also means that ―private‖ Facebook groups should not be registered on the Army‘s social media
directory. All official presences are open to the public.
Only official presences on Facebook can be registered and should be labeled as
“organization-Government” - The use of Facebook Profile, Community and Group pages for
official purposes violates the government‘s terms of service agreement with Facebook.
Submit the social media presence for approval and registration to www .army .mil/socialmedia/
Set default view of your Facebook wall to show posts by only your organization .
make sure youTube channels are set up as a government presence. Step-by-step instructions
can be found at this website: https://forum .webcontent .gov/?page=tOS_Youtube
16. ARmy bRAnDinG
usinG ARmy bRAnDinG strength of our army -- the strength that lies within
each and every Soldier . it is harder to see, but it
a Brand is not just a logo or an emblem . it’s an or-
is this strength that makes the U .S . army the pre-
ganization’s identity . So when using army branding
eminent land power on earth . So maintaining the
on social media sites, it’s important to use the cor-
same consistent branding across all army sites
rect images . a brand represents the organization
(social media or otherwise) is vitally important .
through distinctive visual elements, which uphold
the integrity of the brand when used consistently bRAnDinG PoRTAl
and correctly across all communications . the U .S . army Brand Portal (usarmybrand
sTAyinG ARmy sTRonG portal .com) provides army brand elements such as
Social media handbook
Army logos, camouflage backgrounds, color pal-
the U .S . army Brand positioning conveys the
ettes, typography, and released army photography
heart and soul of the Brand in one statement . it’s
all in one place . the site also provides guidelines
the core of the U .S . army Brand and the under-
on how to use those elements together to ensure
pinning of the U .S . army’s message of ‘strength .’
consistent army branding . By visiting the site and
army Strong is a unique brand of strength . every-
getting the army design elements and guidelines
one is familiar with the tangible power of the U .S .
from the same place, people can ensure their use
army: the apaches, the humvees, the weaponry,
of army branding is consistent with the army’s own
the push-ups . this campaign highlights the true
designs .
[ 12 ]
The UniTed STaTeS army
17. sociAl mEDiA cAsE sTuDiEs
sociAl mEDiA in An oPERATionAl EnViRonmEnT
The UniTed STaTeS army
sociAl mEDiA in combAT been an ambitious and enthusiastic leader . an ear-
ly advocate, general Odierno maintains a Face-
Operational units are finding opportunities for stra-
book page that is both vibrant and informative .
tegic online engagement on several platforms .
during his multiple tours in iraq, Facebook was a
Many deployed units maintain Facebook pages,
ready source of information and an opportunity for
Flickr sites and Youtube channels .
discussion for his Facebook followers and other in-
cJTf-82 terested readers . his page also provided updates [ 13 ]
from theater, keeping family members connected
combined Joint task Force-82 in afghanistan
Social media handbook
during deployments . now that he is at Joint Forc-
posted the video on the right to their Youtube
es command, he continues to use his Facebook
channel of an air weapons team engaging and kill-
page .
ing insurgents who were attacking a small patrol
base in Paktia Province . While the taliban claimed connEcTinG fRom bATTlE
americans had killed innocent civilians, this video
More and more commanders are seeing the value
allowed cJtF-82 to accurately portray the actual
in using social media in combat . Social media can
event to the media and the world .
keep the public informed, it can keep Families con-
GEn. oDiERno nected and it can help address negative news sto-
ries and inaccurate reports .
When it comes to using social media to compli-
ment his outreach strategy, general Odierno has
18. sociAl mEDiA cAsE sTuDiEs (con’T)
sociAl mEDiA in GARRison cRisis mAnAGEmEnT
lT. GEn. HElmicK
lt . gen . helmick at Fort Bragg has embraced
social media, and his Facebook page is a good
example of how to best use social media in a gar-
rison environment . lt . gen . helmick’s Facebook
Social media handbook
page opens directly to his welcome page where
he defines the purpose of the page and invites
visitors to participate with him in discussions about
Fort Bragg . his wall is populated with installation
information and notifications about events and
activities of interest to visitors to his page . the
information is often supported with pictures and
topic-specific video. Lt. Gen. Helmick often uses
Facebook to solicit information from his visitors to
help make Fort Bragg a better run installation . he
asks for input on everything from the dining facility
to traffic, and then he acts on those suggestions.
[ 14 ]
sociAl mEDiA in GARRison cRisis mAnAGEmEnT
The UniTed STaTeS army
like twitter and Facebook . even the media was
aware that much of the most up-to-date informa-
tion about the events at Fort hood, which was
sometimes speculation, was being conveyed by
social media .
during those immediate hours of the shootings,
traditional press conferences were used not so
much to inform the media about what was go-
ing on, but rather to clarify what was being com-
foRT HooD sHooTinGs municated on other forums, mostly social media
the 2009 crisis at Fort hood illustrates the capa- forums that were quickly blasting unconfirmed
information . On that day, Fort hood found it-
bility and capacity of social media to deliver news
self in a crisis that was both sudden and over-
and information . after the shootings, people imme-
whelming . any garrison might face a similar situ-
diately went to the internet for information . People
ation at any moment . More and more garrison
quickly turned to social media for information . Be- commanders are understanding the need for
fore the shootings, conversation surrounding Fort a dynamic social media program for crisis
hood was negligible, but on that day, mentions of communication as well as for a variety of everyday
Fort hood skyrocketed on social media platforms uses .
19. sociAl mEDiA AnD fAmily READinEss
sociAl mEDiA AnD fAmiliEs cation to physical location trying to find out what’s
going on at an installation . FRg Facebook pages
Social media is becoming an increasingly impor-
also include discussion sections where posts by
tant tool for keeping Families and Soldiers con-
the FRg and other individuals further advise each
nected with each other . the images on the right
other about activities and information . the FRg,
are screenshots of the Family Readiness group
Soldiers and Families can also post photos to the
Facebook page for the 4th Brigade, 1st armored
pages . Ultimately, Social media is helping to keep
division . this particular FRg page is full of infor-
families connected and that is vitally important to
mation . it has announcements to keep Families up
The UniTed STaTeS army
unit well being .
to date on activities of interest to them . Followers
of the page are also very active . they often post
additional information to the posted announce-
ments . the interaction on this page, much like if you AREn’T comfoRTAblE
other FRg pages is dynamic, interesting and most PlAcinG THE sAmE infoRmATion
of all informative . FRg Facebook pages have be- on A siGn in youR fRonT yARD,
come the alternative to running from physical lo- Don’T PuT iT onlinE.
WHAT cAn fAmiliEs PosT?
• Pride and support for service, units, specialties, and service member
• generalizations about service or duty
• general status of the location of a unit (“operating in southern afghanistan” as opposed to “operating [ 15 ]
in the village of hajano Kali in arghandab district in southern afghanistan”)
• links to published articles about the unit or servicemember
Social media handbook
• any other information already in the public domain .
20. sociAl mEDiA cAsE sTuDiEs (con’T)
ARmy lEADERs AnD sociAl mEDiA usE
lEADERs in AcTion smA on fAcEbooK
the previous case studies illustrate how leaders Other army leaders, like the Sgt . Maj . of the army,
around the army have used social media in gar- Kenneth O . Preston use Facebook to distribute
rison and operational environments, but social me- new army guidance and information to Soldiers
dia use goes much deeper than that . Social me- worldwide .
dia is about the daily interactions and some of the
highest ranking leaders have tapped into social
Social media handbook
media platforms to communicate with the popula-
tion at large .
cHiEf cAm
army chief of Staff, gen . george W . casey Jr .
uses video to connect with the public . during his
travels, Gen. Casey carries a flipcam and records
interviews with Soldiers stationed around the
world . he then posts these videos to Youtube .
[ 16 ]
The UniTed STaTeS army
21. connEcTinG WiTH THE Public REAcHinG ouT
Maintaining a social media presence is not limited leaders across the army understand that social
to simply engaging on your own platforms . Some media in a new way to connect with various army
Army leaders have taken it a step further. In the ex- audiences . By reaching out through video, Face-
ample below, when it came to the attention of vice book and blogs, army leaders are engaging a new
chief of Staff of the army gen . Peter chiarelli that population of individuals who scour social media
a popular blog was reporting that Soldiers were platforms for news rather than traditional media
wearing orange vests to identify them as suicidal, outlets . Social media helps bring the news to the
he was compelled to comment on the blog . By user rather than forcing army leaders to wait for
The UniTed STaTeS army
personally commenting on the blog, gen . chiarelli the user to come to them .
changed the narrative .
[ 17 ]
Social media handbook
22. sociAl mEDiA REsouRcEs
the dePaRtMent OF deFenSe and the aRMY have dOZenS OF SOcial
Media ReSOURceS availaBle FOR SOcial Media ManageRS, SOldieRS
and theiR FaMilieS .
Policy REsouRcEs
DTm 09-026: Responsible and Effective use of internet-based capabilities
(http://www .dtic .mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/dtM-09-026 .pdf)
AKo social media Portal
Social media handbook
(http://www .army .mil/suite/page/505262) .
Delegation of Authority—Approval of External Official Presences
(http://www .slideshare .net/USarmySocialMedia/delegation-of-authority-social-media-use)
Standardizing Official U.S. Army External Official Presences
(http://www .slideshare .net/USarmySocialMedia/army-social-media-standard-operating-
procedure-standardization)
oTHER sociAl mEDiA REsouRcEs
Army social media on slideshare (http://www .slideshare .net/usarmysocialmedia)
[ 18 ]
Army social media Directory (http://www .army .mil/socialmedia/)
The UniTed STaTeS army
DoD social media Hub (http://socialmedia .defense .gov/)
STRATCOM Social Networking training (http://www .stratcom .mil/snstraining/)
23. EnclosuRE (1)
dePaRtMent OF the aRMY StandaRd OPeRating PROcedURe On StandaRdiZing
OFFicial U .S . aRMY eXteRnal OFFicial PReSenceS (SOcial Media)
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA DIVISION
1500 ARMY PENTAGON
WASHINGTON DC 20301-1500
01 November 2010
The UniTed STaTeS army
SUBJECT: Standardizing official U.S. Army external official presences (social media)
1. References:
a. Secretary of the Army Memorandum – Delegation of Authority – Approval of External
Official Presences, 21 Oct. 2010
b. Directive Type Memorandum DTM 09-026, Responsible and Effective Use of Internet
Based Capabilities, 25 February 2010
c. CIO/G6 Memorandum, Responsible Use of Internet Based Capabilities, 2010
2. The purpose of this memorandum is to standardize Army-wide External Official Presences
(EOPs) (aka social media sites).
3. IAW Delegation of Authority memorandum (referenced above) commands are authorized to
establish EOPs. [ 19 ]
4. U.S. Army Family Readiness Groups may establish an official presence with the approval of
Social media handbook
their command. It is possible the unit’s official page also serves the dual purpose as a platform
for its Family Readiness Group to disseminate information, however, if the command elects to
have separate pages they must adhere to the same standards.
5. All U.S. Army EOPs, to include pages on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, blogs and any
other platform must adhere to the following standards:
a. must be categorized as a government page
b. include the Commander approved names and logos (i.e. 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry
Division [Family Readiness]), not nickname nor mascot (i.e. not the “dragons”)
c. branding (official name and logos) across all social media platforms (i.e. Facebook,
Twitter) are uniform
d. include a statement acknowledging this is the “official [Facebook] page of [enter your
unit or organizations name here] [Family Readiness]”
e. Facebook pages must default to the “Just [your unit or organization’s]” on the wall (Do
this by selecting “edit page,” then “manage permissions.” Drop down under the “wall
tabs page” and select “only post by page”). This results in command information being
the first and primary thing on the wall, instead of spam and others comments.
f. Facebook pages must include “Posting Guidelines” under the “Info Tab.” Use the U.S.
Army’s Facebook policy as a reference and/or visit the DoD Social Media user
agreement at: http://www.ourmilitary.mil/user_agreement.shtml
g. be recent and up-to-date. Post must not be older than one month.
h. adhere to Operations Security guidelines. FRSAs/FRG leaders should provide all page
administrators and FRG members with the U.S. Army Social Media OPSEC presentation
and the FBI Briefing on Identity Theft located on the U.S. Army’s slideshare site at
www.slideshare.net/usarmysocialmedia.
24. EnclosuRE (1) (con’T)
dePaRtMent OF the aRMY StandaRd OPeRating PROcedURe On StandaRdiZing
OFFicial U .S . aRMY eXteRnal OFFicial PReSenceS (SOcial Media)
SUBJECT: Standardizing official U.S. Army external official presences (social media)
01 November 2010
i. should not be used as a place for personal advertisement nor endorsement
j. All pages must be registered through the U.S. Army at www.army.mil/socialmedia
6. The Office of the Chief of Public Affairs has the right to deny any page during the approval
process if one or more of these guidelines are not followed.
Social media handbook
7. For step-by-step instructions on how to set up pages, visit:
http://socialmedia.defense.gov/learning-and-resources/training/social-media-guides/how-to-
guides/ Further information, instruction, techniques, etc. can be found at
www.slideshare.net/usarmysocialmedia
8. In order to sign up to receive weekly lessons, TTPs, etc. on how to manage social media
pages, send an email to the email address below.
9. Use the platforms’ help option to resolve questions, such as: http://www.facebook.com/help/ If
questions are not resolved there, direct all questions and concerns to ocpa.osmd@us.army.mil.
10. POC for this memorandum can be reached at ocpa.osmd@us.army.mil
[ 20 ]
//original signed//
JUANITA A. CHANG
The UniTed STaTeS army
MAJ, CM
Director, Online and Social Media Division,
Office of the Chief of Public Affairs
2
25. EnclosuRE (2)
delegatiOn OF aUthORitY — aPPROval OF eXteRnal OFFicial PReSenceS
The UniTed STaTeS army
[ 21 ]
Social media handbook
26. EnclosuRE (2) con’T
delegatiOn OF aUthORitY — aPPROval OF eXteRnal OFFicial PReSenceS
Social media handbook
[ 22 ]
The UniTed STaTeS army
27. EnclosuRE (3)
diRective-tYPe MeMORandUM (dtM) 09-026—ReSPOnSiBle and eFFective USe OF
inteRnet-BaSed caPaBilitieS
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
1010 DEFENSE PENTAGON
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-1010
The UniTed STaTeS army
February 25, 2010
Change 1, September 16, 2010
MEMORANDUM FOR: SEE DISTRIBUTION
SUBJECT: Directive-Type Memorandum (DTM) 09-026 - Responsible and Effective Use
of Internet-based Capabilities
References: See Attachment 1
Purpose. This memorandum establishes DoD policy and assigns responsibilities for
responsible and effective use of Internet-based capabilities, including social networking services
(SNS). This policy recognizes that Internet-based capabilities are integral to operations across
the Department of Defense. This DTM is effective immediately; it will be converted to a new
DoD issuance within 180 days. This DTM shall expire effective March 1, 2011. [ 23 ]
Applicability. This DTM applies to:
Social media handbook
• OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector
General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field
Activities, and all other organizational entities within the Department of Defense
(hereafter referred to collectively as the “DoD Components”).
• All authorized users of the Non-Classified Internet Protocol Router Network
(NIPRNET).
Definitions. Unless otherwise stated, these terms and their definitions are for the purpose
of this DTM.
• Internet-based capabilities. All publicly accessible information capabilities and
applications available across the Internet in locations not owned, operated, or
controlled by the Department of Defense or the Federal Government. Internet-
based capabilities include collaborative tools such as SNS, social media, user-
generated content, social software, e-mail, instant messaging, and discussion
forums (e.g., YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Google Apps).
• external official presences. Official public affairs activities conducted on non-
DoD sites on the Internet (e.g., Combatant Commands on Facebook, Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Twitter).
28. EnclosuRE (3) con’T
diRective-tYPe MeMORandUM (dtM) 09-026—ReSPOnSiBle and eFFective USe OF
inteRnet-BaSed caPaBilitieS
DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010
• official public affairs activities. Defined in DoD Instruction (DoDI) 5400.13
(Reference (a)).
Policy. It is DoD policy that:
Social media handbook
• The NIPRNET shall be configured to provide access to Internet-based capabilities
across all DoD Components.
• Commanders at all levels and Heads of DoD Components shall continue to defend
against malicious activity affecting DoD networks (e.g., distributed denial of
service attacks, intrusions) and take immediate and commensurate actions, as
required, to safeguard missions (e.g., temporarily limiting access to the Internet to
preserve operations security or to address bandwidth constraints).
• Commanders at all levels and Heads of DoD Components shall continue to deny
access to sites with prohibited content and to prohibit users from engaging in
prohibited activity via social media sites (e.g., pornography, gambling, hate-crime
related activities).
[ 24 ]
• All use of Internet-based capabilities shall comply with paragraph 2-301of Chapter
2 of the Joint Ethics Regulation (Reference (b)) and the guidelines set forth in
The UniTed STaTeS army
Attachment 2.
Responsibilities. See Attachment 3.
Releasability. UNLIMITED. This DTM is approved for public release and is available
on the Internet from the DoD Issuances Website at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives.
Attachments:
As stated
Change 1, 09/16/2010 2
29. EnclosuRE (3) con’T
diRective-tYPe MeMORandUM (dtM) 09-026—ReSPOnSiBle and eFFective USe OF
inteRnet-BaSed caPaBilitieS
DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010
DISTRIBUTION:
SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS
CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
The UniTed STaTeS army
UNDER SECRETARIES OF DEFENSE
DEPUTY CHIEF MANAGEMENT OFFICER
COMMANDERS OF THE COMBATANT COMMANDS
ASSISTANT SECRETARIES OF DEFENSE
GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DIRECTOR, OPERATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION
DIRECTOR, COST ASSESSMENT AND PROGRAM
EVALUATION
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
ASSISTANTS TO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
DIRECTOR, NET ASSESSMENT
DIRECTORS OF THE DEFENSE AGENCIES
DIRECTORS OF THE DoD FIELD ACTIVITIES
[ 25 ]
Social media handbook
Change 1, 09/16/2010 3
30. EnclosuRE (3) con’T
diRective-tYPe MeMORandUM (dtM) 09-026—ReSPOnSiBle and eFFective USe OF
inteRnet-BaSed caPaBilitieS
DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010
ATTACHMENT 1
REFERENCES
Social media handbook
(a) DoD Instruction 5400.13, “Public Affairs (PA) Operations,” October 15, 2008
(b) DoD 5500.7-R, “Joint Ethics Regulation,” August 1, 1993
(c) DoD Directive 8500.01E, “Information Assurance (IA),” October 24, 2002
(d) DoD Instruction 8500.2, “Information Assurance (IA) Implementation,”
February 6, 2003
(e) DoD Directive 5400.11, “DoD Privacy Program,” May 8, 2007
(f) DoD Directive 5230.09, “Clearance of DoD Information for Public Release,”
August 22, 2008
(g) DoD Manual 5205.02-M, “DoD Operations Security (OPSEC) Program Manual,”
November 3, 2008
(h) DoD Directive 5015.2, “DoD Records Management Program,” March 6, 2000
(i) DoD 5200.1-R, “Information Security Program,” January 14, 1997
(j) DoD 5240.1-R, “Procedures Governing the Activities of DoD Intelligence
[ 26 ]
Components That Affect United States Persons,” December 1, 1982
(k) DoD Instruction O-8530.2, “Support to Computer Network Defense (CND),”
March 9, 2001
The UniTed STaTeS army
(l) Unified Command Plan, “Unified Command Plan 2008 (UCP),” December 17, 2008
Change 1, 09/16/2010 4 Attachment 1
31. EnclosuRE (3) con’T
diRective-tYPe MeMORandUM (dtM) 09-026—ReSPOnSiBle and eFFective USe OF
inteRnet-BaSed caPaBilitieS
DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010
ATTACHMENT 2
GUIDELINES FOR USE OF INTERNET-BASED CAPABILITIES
The UniTed STaTeS army
1. GENERAL. This attachment applies to the official and/or authorized use of Internet-
based capabilities by DoD personnel and all authorized users of the NIPRNET.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
a. SNS.
b. Image- and video-hosting web services.
c. Wikis.
d. Personal, corporate, or subject-specific blogs.
e. Data mashups that combine similar types of media and information from
multiple sources into a single representation. [ 27 ]
f. Similar collaborative, information sharing-driven Internet-based capabilities
Social media handbook
where users are encouraged to add and/or generate content.
2. OFFICIAL PRESENCES. External official presences shall comply with Reference
(a) and clearly identify that the Department of Defense provides their content. In
addition, external official presences shall:
a. Receive approval from the responsible OSD or DoD Component Head.
Approval signifies that the Component Head concurs with the planned use and has
assessed risks to be at an acceptable level for using Internet-based capabilities.
b. Be registered on the external official presences list, maintained by the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (ASD(PA)), on www.Defense.gov.
c. Comply with References (a) and (b) as well as DoD Directive (DoDD)
8500.01E, DoDI 8500.2, DoDD 5400.11, DoDD 5230.09, DoD Manual 5205.02-M,
DoDD 5015.2, DoD 5200.1-R, and DoD 5240.1-R (References (c) through (j),
respectively).
d. Use official DoD and command seals and logos as well as other official
command identifying material per ASD(PA) guidance.
Change 1, 09/16/2010 5 Attachment 2
32. EnclosuRE (3) con’T
diRective-tYPe MeMORandUM (dtM) 09-026—ReSPOnSiBle and eFFective USe OF
inteRnet-BaSed caPaBilitieS
DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010
e. Clearly indicate the role and scope of the external official presence.
f. Provide links to the organization’s official public website.
Social media handbook
g. Be actively monitored and evaluated by DoD Components for compliance with
security requirements and for fraudulent or objectionable use (References (d), (g), and
(i)).
3. OFFICIAL USE. Official uses of Internet-based capabilities unrelated to public
affairs are permitted. However, because these interactions take place in a public venue,
personnel acting in their official capacity shall maintain liaison with public affairs and
operations security staff to ensure organizational awareness. Use of Internet-based
capabilities for official purposes shall:
a. Comply with References (b) through (j).
b. Ensure that the information posted is relevant and accurate, and provides no
[ 28 ]
information not approved for public release, including personally identifiable information
(PII) as defined in Reference (e).
The UniTed STaTeS army
c. Provide links to official DoD content hosted on DoD-owned, -operated, or
-controlled sites where applicable.
d. Include a disclaimer when personal opinions are expressed (e.g., “This
statement is my own and does not constitute an endorsement by or opinion of the
Department of Defense”).
4. RECORDS MANAGEMENT. Internet-based capabilities used to transact business
are subject to records management policy in accordance with Reference (h). All users of
these Internet-based capabilities must be aware of the potential record value of their
content, including content that may originate outside the agency.
5. LIMITED AUTHORIZED PERSONAL USE. Paragraph 2-301 of Reference (b)
permits limited personal use of Federal Government resources when authorized by the
agency designee on a non-interference basis. When accessing Internet-based capabilities
using Federal Government resources in an authorized personal or unofficial capacity,
individuals shall employ sound operations security (OPSEC) measures in accordance
with Reference (g) and shall not represent the policies or official position of the
Department of Defense.
Change 1, 09/16/2010 6 Attachment 2
33. EnclosuRE (3) con’T
diRective-tYPe MeMORandUM (dtM) 09-026—ReSPOnSiBle and eFFective USe OF
inteRnet-BaSed caPaBilitieS
DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010
ATTACHMENT 3
RESPONSIBILITIES
The UniTed STaTeS army
1. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR NETWORKS AND
INFORMATION INTEGRATION/DoD CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
(ASD(NII)/DoD CIO). The ASD(NII)/DoD CIO, in addition to the responsibilities in
section 4 of this attachment, shall:
a. Establish and maintain policy and procedures regarding Internet-based
capabilities use, risk management, and compliance oversight.
b. Provide implementation guidance for responsible and effective use of
Internet-based capabilities.
c. Integrate guidance regarding the proper use of Internet-based capabilities with
information assurance (IA) education, training, and awareness activities.
[ 29 ]
d. Establish mechanisms to monitor emerging Internet-based capabilities in order
to identify opportunities for use and assess risks.
Social media handbook
e. In coordination with the Heads of the OSD and DoD Components, develop a
process for establishing enterprise-wide terms of service agreements for Internet-based
capabilities when required.
2. UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR INTELLIGENCE (USD(I)). The
USD(I), in addition to the responsibilities in section 4 of this attachment, shall:
a. Develop procedures and guidelines to be implemented by the OSD and DoD
Components for OPSEC reviews of DoD information shared via Internet-based
capabilities.
b. Develop and maintain threat estimates on current and emerging Internet-based
capabilities.
c. Integrate guidance regarding the proper use of Internet-based capabilities into
OPSEC education, training, and awareness activities.
d. Ensure that all use of Internet-based capabilities that collect user or other
information is consistent with DoD 5240.1-R (Reference (j)).
Change 1, 09/16/2010 7
34. EnclosuRETEXT
HEADER (3) con’T
diRective-tYPe MeMORandUM (dtM) 09-026—ReSPOnSiBle and eFFective USe OF
inteRnet-BaSed caPaBilitieS
DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010
3. ASD(PA). The ASD(PA), in addition to the responsibilities in section 4 of this
attachment, shall:
Social media handbook
The UniTed STaTeS army
a. Maintain a registry of external official presences.
b. Provide policy for news, information, photographs, editorial, community
relations activities, and other materials distributed via external official presences.
c. Provide guidance for official identifiers for external official presences.
4. HEADS OF THE OSD AND DoD COMPONENTS. The Heads of the OSD and DoD
Components shall, within their respective Components:
a. Approve the establishment of external official presences.
b. Ensure the implementation, validation, and maintenance of applicable IA
[ 30 ]
controls, information security procedures, and OPSEC measures.
c. Ensure that computer network defense mechanisms that provide adequate
Social media handbook
The UniTed STaTeS army
security for access to Internet-based capabilities from the NIPRNET are in place,
effective, and compliant with DoD Instruction O-8530.2 (Reference (k)).
d. Educate, train, and promote awareness for the responsible and effective use of
Internet-based capabilities.
e. Monitor and evaluate the use of Internet-based capabilities to ensure
compliance with this DTM.
f. Coordinate with USD(I) regarding the use of all Internet-based capabilities that
collect user or other information, to ensure compliance with Reference (j).
5. DoD COMPONENT CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS (CIOs). The DoD
Component CIOs shall:
a. Advise the ASD(NII)/DoD CIO and ensure that the policies and guidance for
use of Internet-based capabilities issued by ASD(NII)/DoD CIO are implemented within
their Component.
b. In coordination with Component OPSEC and Public Affairs offices, provide
advice, guidance, and other assistance to their respective Component Heads and other
Change 1, 09/16/2010 8
35. EnclosuRE (3) con’T
diRective-tYPe MeMORandUM (dtM) 09-026—ReSPOnSiBle and eFFective USe OF
inteRnet-BaSed caPaBilitieS
DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010
Component senior management personnel to ensure that Internet-based capabilities are
used responsibly and effectively.
c. Assist their respective Component Head to ensure effective implementation of
The UniTed STaTeS army
computer network defense mechanisms as well as the proper use of Internet-based
capabilities through the use of existing IA education, training, and awareness activities.
d. Establish risk assessment procedures to evaluate and monitor current and
emerging Component Internet-based capabilities in order to identify opportunities for use
and assess risks.
e. In coordination with the Component Public Affairs Office, assist their
respective Component Head in evaluating external official presences’ intended use.
6. COMMANDER, UNITED STATES STRATEGIC COMMAND
(CDRUSSTRATCOM). The CDRUSSTRATCOM, in addition to the responsibilities in
section 4 of this attachment, shall:
[ 31 ]
a. In accordance with Unified Command Plan 2008 (Reference (l)), direct the
defense and operation of the DoD Global Information Grid (GIG).
Social media handbook
b. Assess risks associated with the use of Internet-based capabilities, identify
operational vulnerabilities, and work with the ASD(NII)/DoD CIO to mitigate risks to the
GIG.
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